


Sacrificed to the Red Demon

by gingayellow



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (by minor I mean villains), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Demons, Gen, M/M, Minor Character Death, The violence is a hard PG-13 imo, but it is there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 14:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13483167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: After Shiro's village discovers that he was "tainted" by his time in Galra captivity, he is presented as a sacrifice in chains to the Red Demon, in the hopes that his death will spare the village.A young man named Keith, who surely has no connection to this demon, saves him.





	Sacrificed to the Red Demon

Title: Sacrificed to the Red Demon  
Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender  
Characters/Pairing: Shiro/Keith  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Descriptions of violence, minor character death (villain). Touches on past trauma.  
Notes: Fantasy AU. This story fills two deep needs for me: giant, violent monster Keith, and hapless, in distress Shiro. >:3 I don’t think the violence is too bad (like, a hard PG-13), but please be aware of that. And yes, the title is meant to sound like a tacky romance novel. ;P 

\--

Shiro hated it, but he had to give Iverson credit. When he wanted to sacrifice a human (in this case, Shiro) to the Red Demon of the Galra, he made sure it happened.

Shiro struggled in his chains one more time, but it was no good. His wrist and ankles were bound by the heaviest chains Iverson could find, secured to one of the smaller boulders that were scattered across the ocean. He shivered as a cool morning breeze hit his chest: he’d struggled, at first. That meant that the ceremonial robes they’d forced him into were ripped to shreds. So, not only was he going be eaten by a demon, but he wasn’t going to be decent in the process either.

He almost laughed at that. If he was going to die, at least he could indulge his bleak sense of humor one last time.

Shiro craned his neck, looking up at his mysterious metal arm. The reason he was in this mess to begin. He memories of what had happened (among others) were fuzzy, but he did remember a heat, and metal giving. Maybe if he gathered what was left of his strength, and focused…

Nothing.

Shiro went limp in his chains, despair overwhelming him. He didn’t want to die, but he had been a soldier. He knew the risks. It was knowing he’d been tainted. That people he loved and trusted thought he was a monster. And he did have this arm now, with powers he didn’t understand, and no idea what happened to him when he was captured. Maybe… maybe they were right…

He hung his head low, long hair (you didn’t get a haircut when you were rotting in the palace dungeon) getting in his eyes. If he was going to die today, so be it. But he didn’t want to die alone.

“Sir.”

Shiro looked up, huffing so his hair would get out of his eyes. There was a young man, presumably from the group from earlier. Get a good look at the traitor, and then clear out before the Red Demon came. Except he didn’t look familiar. Shiro was sure he would remember if he saw a man who looked like this: slight in build, but moved like someone who’d seen battle. Hair that was dark as night, and even darker eyes. 

Still. “If you’re here to spit on me, hurry up already.” He tried to snarl, but he was so dehydrated it came out as a weak rasp. “I have a full schedule of being sacrificed to the Red Demon today.”

If that affected the young man, it didn’t show. He pulled a strange metal tool out of his jacket pocket, and came to Shiro. He stood on his tiptoes, and a few moments later, Shiro was free.

Ideally, Shiro would have made a run for it the instant the stranger undid the chain around his right ankle. But he’d been beaten, starved, and left to the elements, so all he could really do was let the stranger catch him in his arms as he swooned. “I…” He took a breath. “Why did you save me?”

“Because you were in trouble.” The stranger was small, but strong enough to keep Shiro upright. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“My own people kidnapped me and chained me up to feed me to a demon, so yes. It is.” The stranger seemed to tense up at that. Strange. “You, um. You never told me your name.”

The stranger glanced at him, smiling, a little. “Keith.” 

“Keith.” It was a pretty name. And he was a sturdy presence against Shiro, and he was just… just so tired…

“Don’t worry,” Keith whispered. “I’ll get you somewhere safe.”

Logically, Shiro knew to be wary. Even if Keith saved him, he could still be a threat. But he could also barely keep his eyes open. Like it or not, he had to trust him. Shiro didn’t resist as Keith somehow scooped up a man much larger and heavier than he was into his slim arms.

“If the Red Demon shows up, tell him he’ll have to get his meal to go,” Shiro murmured dreamily.

Keith swallowed hard. “I’ll do just that.”

\--

“It’s funny, sort of,” Pidge offered as she put the tea kettle on the stove. “The Humans tried to appease you by sacrificing someone who was at least in the process of being brainwashed to kill you.” When Keith glared at her, she added with a shrug, “I said sort of.”

“I know that it’s a risky move,” Keith admitted, taking in the sight of the man lying on his bed. His dark hair (save for the white bangs) was strewn over the pillow in inky tendrils. His clothes, or what remained of them, had barely covered his shoulders, arms, or… or his thighs (after patching up his wounds, Keith had very quickly covered him up with a quilt). Pidge had arrived an hour later, on one of her weekly visits to make sure he was still himself. “But contrary to popular believe, I don’t eat people, tainted or not.” Although this man’s only real crime seemed to be that he’d been a prisoner of the Galra.

“Hmm.” When the kettle whistled, Pidge took it off the stove. “You think he’ll betray you to get in good with his village again?”

Keith would have been shocked, but he was used to Pidge being Pidge about things, so he was just annoyed. “Do you trust anyone?”

“Only Allura’s mice,” Pidge said without missing a beat. She started making tea. 

Keith returned his attention to their guest. He was breathing deeply, probably getting the closest thing to real rest in ages. He… he reminded Keith a little bit of the time Pidge told him the story of Sleeping Beauty.

“I told you my name was Keith,” he whispered, not able to resist the urge to push the white bangs away from the man’s eyes. “I’m just realizing that I never asked yours.”

The man stirred, looking up at Keith. “Shiro,” he breathed. “Could—could you help me up, please.”

“Of course.” He eased Shiro into a sitting position with his right hand, and managed to fluff/rearrange the pillows with his left. Carefully, he rested Shiro against the pillows. “The kid—”

“I’m fifteen, jerk!”

Keith rolled his eyes. “The fifteen-year-old making tea is Pidge.” In a lower voice, he added, “She’s from the Forest in the Mountains. She can be trusted.” He had hoped that would at least ease the tension in Shiro’s expression, but it didn’t.

“I’m glad, but Keith, I’m not sure if I can trust myself.” Shiro’s eyes were fixed on his metal hand. “I was…” Shiro stopped, eyes unfocused.

“You don’t have to tell my anything.”

“I want to. You saved my life.” He took a series of deep breaths before continuing. “I was a soldier, until I was kidnapped by the Galra. They’re an Empire my country’s been at war at my whole lifetime.”

“I know about the Galra,” Keith assured him.

Shiro smiled bitterly. “Yes, I guess most people would know about the murderous Empire that wants to rule all known lands. I… I don’t remember my time with them. Just bits and pieces. I don’t even remember how this happened.” He flexed his metal fingers. “After I escaped, I hid it with a glove. But one day I found myself caught up in a bar fight, and it—started glowing.” Shiro frowned. “What are you giving me that look.”

Darn. Keith was usually decent at hiding his feelings. “Well.” Keith cleared his throat. “You don’t seem the kind of man who gets in bar fights.” He seemed like the kind of man who would be curled in up in a library, or sunning himself near a steam, birds chirping his praises.

Shiro smiled again, but it was less bitter. “I usually go to the pub once a month as a reward to myself. So, of course, that’s the one day a fight breaks out.” The smile faded. “I was hoping that if I did something I did before I was captured, maybe I would… well, it doesn’t matter now,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I’m a traitor the people I served, and am alive only because you and Pidge apparently enjoy caring for burdens.”

Keith’s first impulse was to tell Shiro that he was wrong, but he remembered what he was like when Pidge found him and rescued him. So, he did what she had long ago.

“Who said anything about caring? You earn your keep like everyone else.”

Shiro blinked, but wasn’t frowning anymore. “Really? What do you want me to do?”

Okay, he hadn’t thought about that. “Well, you’re a big guy. Can you lift things?”

Shiro nodded. “I can also clean. And,” and his expression was somewhere between pride and embarrassment, “I’ve been told I have a good voice to read books out loud. I’m not sure if that’s much of a qualification, though.”

“Are you kidding? I’m letting you stay with us right now, anything has got to be better than Keith yelling at the wicked kings and queens when they cause trouble mid-story.” Pidge stuck her tongue out at Keith.

Keith felt his felt heat up with anger (because honestly, how else was he supposed to act when the king was cruel enough to shut away his daughter just because she fell in love with a poor man?), but ignored here. “See? You’d be useful to the household.”

Shiro didn’t seem as convinced, face hidden behind his long hair as he quietly agreed, since he had nowhere else to go.

Still, it was a start.

Everyone thought the Red Demon was a monster that ate people. Well, Keith was going to prove them wrong. He was going to help Shiro, whatever it took.

\--

The next few weeks passed slowly. Shiro slept a lot, but when he felt strong enough he did indeed read to them. Shiro said he had a good voice, which Keith now realized was the understatement of their lifetimes. Shiro’s voice was deep but soft, and spoke with just enough emotion to accentuate the story, but not overwhelm you with his theatrics (like Lance did, when he and Allura visited). He drew you in, and kept you enthralled until he finally put the book away. The only bad thing was that Pidge kept teasing him for being so _eager_ for story time now.

Regardless, even that “little” action on Shiro’s part gave Keith enough time to make some clothes for Shiro—who had been wearing Keith’s clothes, who was two sizes too small. He was not a skilled tailor, but he managed to make a few big shirts and pants. Maybe when Lance visited again, he could ask him to knit Shiro a sweater. Allura might have something, too. As for the hair, Keith mentioned cutting it once, just as an idea. Shiro said he’d consider it, but the way he squirmed at the idea of scissors, Keith decided to drop it. Thankfully, Pidge had waist-length hair, and was willing to show him how to put it back in a braid. Somewhere between the stories and the sewing and the braiding, Shiro had… well, he was still sad and he still had nightmares. But he would also laugh at Pidge’s jokes, leave the cottage with Keith to collect firewood, and braid his hair before lifting all the heavy thing he swore to them that he would.

All of this was wonderful. But it also meant watching Shiro move around, his actions always precise, even graceful. Shiro smiling at him as he put away dishes.

And sometimes Shiro was topless as he helped clear out some dead trees. 

Keith huffed, shrugging on his jacket. It was getting dark; there was a chill in the air. Shiro was a friend. Some poor soul that had been caught up in some—some sacrifice in a misguided attempt to win his favor. Imagining anything else was unfair to Shiro.

He looked up to the night sky as he walked home. The first few stars were beginning to show. He never wanted sacrifices. He was tired of death. All he wanted wasn’t too different from Humans or Alteans or Galra: food, shelter, friendship. But no one seemed to want to offer that to him. There were fine with killing innocent people in his name, yes. But offer kindness to a demon? Spirits forbid.

After awhile, he’d stopped trying, and built himself a cottage in the woods.

Oddly enough, that was when he found the others: Princess Allura, who’d come to prove herself by killing a demon, but thankfully changed her mind when he saved her knight, Lance, from falling to his death. Not long after that, he met Pidge, a young girl on a mysterious mission who was unphased by demons. And now there was Shiro. So, Keith had what he wanted. He wasn’t going to ask for more. 

Keith stopped in his track when he saw a familiar figure in the front yard. Shiro was in the cold, perched on a stump, hair loose and no shirt, face hidden in his hands. “Shiro!” Keith broke into a full run, but managed to kneel in front of Shiro. “What are you doing out here, you’ll catch your death of cold!”

“I’m sorry.” Shiro’s voice was much too soft. “I-I just—” He did his best to smile. “It’s been a bad day.”

“Of course.” Keith placed a hand on Shiro’s knee. “Shiro, why don’t you go to bed early? I’ll bring you dinner.”

Shiro shook his head. “I’m not sick.”

Keith helped him up. “The heart can get sick too, Shiro,” he said, hoping that would help him feel better about taking care of himself. 

Shiro sniffled, but also didn’t fight Keith as he guided him to the large closet they’d refashioned into a small room for Shiro. “I keep thinking about Iverson. The people I served with. I trusted them, I **loved** them, and…”

What Keith wanted to say was that such traitors didn’t deserve Shiro in their lives. But Shiro’s eyes were shining with unshed tears, and he was shivering from more than the cold as he clung to Keith. So instead, he said, “I’m sorry that they didn’t realize how much you loved them. But Pidge and I will never hurt you, or let anyone else do the same.”

Keith wasn’t foolish enough to think he’d undo all the abuse Shiro had endured, but he stopped shivering. “I think it’s worse than what the Galra did to me, sometimes,” Shiro admitted hoarsely as he pulled away from Keith, metal hand pushing back dark locks from his face. “All I can remember from the Galra are bits and pieces. But I remember everything about how my people...”

“Aren’t here. They can’t hurt you anymore,” Keith promise, one hand on Shiro’s bare shoulder. “I would die before harm came to you again.”

Shiro actually smiled at that. “For such a quiet guy, you have quite the melodramatic streak, Keith. Maybe I should stop reading those stories about knights swearing to protect damsels to you.”

“Don’t you dare.” It was strange, joking with someone this openly, but it was pleasant. “Now, let’s get you to bed.” He eased Shiro onto the mattress, then covered him with the quilt. To his relief, Shiro was asleep a few minutes later. 

He was asleep, hair framing his face in a strange dark halo, lips parted slightly. There was a quilt over him, but it didn’t hide the powerful muscles of his neck or shoulders, or the scars that marked him as a survivor. A warrior.

He really was Sleeping Beauty, Keith realized glumly as he left the room. Too bad he was stuck with a demon and not a prince. 

\--

“So, Shiro called it an early night?” Pidge gave him a look over her book.

“Yes. So no loud noises when you’re working on that contraption.”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “It’s called a motor, Keith.”

“Well, whatever it is, it’s loud. Shiro needs his rest…” Keith inhaled deeply. The scent he’d hoped was just his mind playing tricks on him was only too real. “There’s a someone with a Mamora blade heading our way. I can smell the .” 

Pidge put her book away. “I’m coming with you.”

Keith shook his head. “They’ve got a blade. I can’t—”

“I know.” She already had her coat on. “But I also know what happens if there’s no one else to pull you back.”

Keith hated the idea of leaving Shiro alone… but whoever was heading their way wanted to kill Keith. And then capture Pidge, and Shiro. 

He needed to end this quickly, before Shiro woke up.

\--

They walked in silence, which didn’t surprise Pidge. Keith needed to concentrate, after all. She also wasn’t too surprised when it was Haxus. The creep kept showing up near Keith’s hunting grounds; it was only a matter of time until he tried to take Keith out.

“Hey,” Pidge pushed her hair out of her face. “Look, how about you save us the boring speech about honor and glorious combat and just leave before Keith kicks your butt.”

She was disappointed but not surprised when Haxus scoffed. “The Galra Empire is destined to control everything. Thus, it must be pure. Corrupted individuals like your demon friend…”

Haxus was busy talking about the glorious destiny of the purest of pure Galra, he didn’t notice Keith was growling as his eyes turned gold, teeth elongating into fangs.

He, did, however, notice as Keith roared in pain, bones growing longer, muscles bulging, rich red scales covering his skin. His fingernails hardened into claws that rivaled Haxus’s blade in sharpness. Keith howled once more, eyes shining bright gold. 

If Keith was exhausted from his transformation, it didn’t show. Haxus had begun to run, but Keith was too fast. His claws sunk into Haxus’s sides—and then he bit hard into Haxus’s shoulder. Haxus managed to punch Keith with his good arm, and stand up. Keith lunged, drawing blood again—but so did Haxus, his blade sinking deep into Keith’s thigh.

Pidge bit her lip, taking out her crossbow. This was getting bad. She silently thanked Shiro for reminding her to wear her glasses today as she aimed, and fired an arrow in Haxus’s heart.

Haxus’s corpse fell to the ground, and vanished into nothing—this happened to Galra soldiers groomed by the Druids. But Keith only roared with fury. He was lost to his demon self: all he knew was hurt, and that he had to stop other people from hurting him.

“Keith!” Pidge screamed over Keith’s roars. “Keith, that’s enough!” He was still screaming.

“Keith, you left Shiro alone, remember?!”

Keith stopped, collapsing. His clothes were filthy, but in one piece—thankfully, Allura had taught them how to enchant garments so they could survive these transformations.

His stab wound had already healed up—one of the benefits of being a demon was that you healed quickly. Of course, the blood loss wasn’t as easily recovered from.

Pidge helped him up. He was always so weak afterwards, but there’d been no real choice. “Let’s go back.”

\--

“Keith!” Shiro was in his pajamas, white bangs covering one eye. Shiro huffed as he pushed said bangs behind his ear. “I woke up, and thought I’d check on you, but—”

“I had to scare some deer away the garden,” Keith said, doing his best to stand upright. “Unfortunately, the deer didn’t take kindly to that.”

Shiro frowned. “Next time, call me. I’ll keep you safe, all right.”

Keith felt himself smile. “All right.”

He watched as Shiro went into the kitchen, saying something about making them a late snack. It’d been worth it. The anger, the pain, those moments of terror when he thought he couldn’t change back—it was all worth it to protect this man, who genuinely thought Keith was good at heart.

And that was why he could never, ever tell Shiro the truth.

\--

Final Note: PHEW. Thanks to real life/my mental health, this story took way longer than I thought it would. @_@ I do have other installments planned, but since I can’t really set a hard schedule, I’m just giving this story a complete check (for now). It’s also why it has a definite conclusion (although obviously there are some things still left open, lol)

The draft of the fight scene was actually a lot gorier! It wasn’t until I was done with it that I was all “oh, this might be tonal whiplash,” and edited it.


End file.
